Massaging device

ABSTRACT

An electrically driven, hand operated and portable device for massaging the body. The device includes a pair of reciprocating patters which are timed so as to alternately pat the body. The drive is directly from the electric motor shaft, through a pair of gears, each of which have an eccentric pin mounted therein and which pins are each connected to their respective reciprocating patter through a follower member. The drive is easily assembled.

United States Patent Ernest R. Andls 5125 Darby Place, Racine, Wis. 53402 [21] Appl. No. 25,827

[22] Filed Apr. 6, 1970 [45] Patented Dec. 14, 1971 [72] lnventor [54] MASSAGING DEVICE 2 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S. Cl 128/55 [51] Int. Cl A6lh 23/00 [50] Field of Search 128/44-55,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,512,536 6/1950 Zadek 128/46 3,425,410 2/1969 Cammack 128/62 A 1,833,103 11/1931 Anderson 128/55 Primary Examiner-L. W. Trapp Attorney-James E. Nilles MASSAGING DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Various devices of this character have been proposed and used with some success, however, many of them have various shortcomings which include complexity of the device due to the numerous parts involved and which contribute to malfunction and frequent maintenance requirements.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides an electrically driven massager which includes an electric motor that drives a pair of oppositely reciprocable patters in a particularly efficient manner. The drive includes a gear connection directly with the electric motor shaft, and which also includes a pair of gears each having an eccentric pin mounted therein for connection to a cam follower secured to the respective reciprocating patters. The arrangement is such that a positive and smooth drive is provided for the patters in both directions of reciprocation thereof and which can impart a forceful stroke in the pressure applying direction as well as a positive return stroke. In addition, the gear connection and follower drive can be readily assembled and disassembled. The resulting device is trouble-free from a maintenance standpoint and economical to manufacture.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear hereinafter as this disclosure progresses, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is an elevational view of a massager embodying the present invention, certain parts shown as broken away or in section for the sake of clarity;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the device shown in FIG. I, certain parts being shown as broken away or in section for the sake of clarity;

' FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, sectional view taken along line 3-3 in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary, perspective view of a portion of the device as shown in the other FIGS.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The massager provided by the present invention includes a housing H which contains an electric motor M mounted therein, the shaft 1 of the motor being journaled for rotation in the antifriction bearing elements 2 and 3 secured in the housing. The electrical coil C of the motor is stationarily mounted and electric wires 4 extending into the handle portion 5 and then outwardly therefrom, conduct electric power to the motor. A fan 6 is attached to the shaft for cooling the motor.

The forwardly extending free end of the shaft 1 is formed as a gear 7 having, for example 10 teeth and a diametrical pitch of 32. Thus a gear is formed integrally on the end of the shaft 1. A pair of gears 10 and 11 have a central stub shaft 12 and 13, respectively formed integrally therewith and extending rearwardly therefrom. These stub shafts l2 and 13 are mounted in sleeve bearings 14 which in turn are secured in the housing H of the device (FIG. 3). It will be noted that the housing contains a counterbore portion 16 in which the gears are partially mounted. The gears 10 and 11 are in constant mesh with the gear 7 and are driven thereby. Gears 10 and 11 each have forty teeth and are of the same diametrical pitch as the gear 7. The gears 10 and 11 also each have a pin 17 and 18, respectively, press-fit into the front face thereof, and these pins extend outwardly from the gear at the side opposite that of the stub shafts l2 and 13. The pins 17 and 18 are eccentrically located from the centerline of the gear.

The device also includes a pair of patters 20 and 21, which patters have pistons 22 and 23, respectively, fixed thereto by means of cross pins 24. The pistons 22 and 23 are inserted in the bores 25 of the patters and are held captive therein by the Bins 24. The pistons 22 and 23 extend upwardly through the ottom of the housing, more specifically, through sleeve bearings 26 in the housing, and the upper ends of the pistons each have a U-shaped follower 28 welded thereto. These followers constitute a U-shaped metal bracket which embraces the eccentric pins. The followers 28 embrace the pins 17 and 18 of the respective gears 10 and 11 so that rotation of the gears and their pins cause the pistons to reciprocate. The pistons are arranged so that their followers 28 are connected to the gears to opposite extremities of the throw of the eccentric pins as shown clearly in FIG. 2. Thus, the pistons are reciprocated by rotation of the gears and in opposite directions. That is to say, the patters alternately contact the body in rapid succession to give the massaging action.

With the present invention, the reciprocating drive is imparted to the patters directly from the motor shaft, through the constant mesh gears, and then through the followers fastened directly to the reciprocable pistons of the patters. With this arrangement, positive force is imparted to the patters and also a positive retraction is provided with no lost motion. In addition, the parts can be easily assembled, it only being necessary to insert the shafts l2 and 13 of the gears into their respective sleeves in the housing, these gears easily meshing with the gear 7 on the end of the shaft. The pistons are inserted in the detachable front portion 30 of the housing, the housing portion 30 then attached by the interengaging parting line 32 and the screws 31 to the main portion of the housing and then the patters 21 and 22 assembled on the outer ends of the pistons by means of the pins 24.

The high speed electric motor provides particularly good reciprocating action to the patters by means of this direct and positive driving. The entire device is simple in construction and operation, lightweight, and economical to manufacture.

I claim:

1. In an electrically driven, hand operated massager, the combination comprising; a housing, an electric motor having a drive shaft journaled in said housing, said shaft having a spur gear at one of its ends, a pair of spur gears rotatably mounted in said housing and rotatable about axes which are parallel to said shaft, said pair of gears being in constant mesh with said shaft gear, each of said pairs of gears having eccentric pins extending from one side thereof, a pair of pistons reciprocably mounted in said housing and in a direction normal to the axis of rotation of said gears, said pistons having an inner end within the housing and having an outer end extending from the housing, a generally U-shaped follower fixed to said inner ends of said pistons for slideable embracing engagement with the respective eccentric pins of said gears, and a patter fixed to said outer end of each of said pistons whereby rotation of said gears by said motor causes reciprocating of said pistons and their associated patters, the relative positioning of said eccentric pins being such that said patters are reciprocated in opposite directions.

2. The massager set forth in claim 1 further characterized in that said housing has a removable front portion, and said pistons are reciprocably mounted in said removable portion whereby said pistons and patters are removed along with said front portion as a unit.

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1. In an electrically driven, hand operated massager, the combination comprising; a housing, an electric motor having a drive shaft journaled in said housing, said shaft having a spur gear at one of its ends, a pair of spur gears rotatably mounted in said housing and rotatable about axes which are parallel to said shaft, said pair of gears being in constant mesh with said shaft gear, each of said pairs of gears having eccentric pins extending from one side thereof, a pair of pistons reciprocably mounted in said housing and in a direction normal to the axis of rotation of said gears, said pistons having an inner end within the housing and having an outer end extending from the housing, a generally U-shaped follower fixed to said inner ends of said pistons for slideable embracing engagement with the respective eccentric pins of said gears, and a patter fixed to said outer end of each of said pistons whereby rotation of said gears by said motor causes reciprocating of said pistons and their associated patters, the relative positioning of said eccentric pins being such that said patters are reciprocated in opposite directions.
 2. The massager set forth in claim 1 further characterized in that said housing has a removable front portion, and said pistons are reciprocably mounted in said removable portion whereby said pistons and patters are removed along with said front portion as a unit. 